Upright piano



BBQ. 27, c F STEIN ET AL UPRIGHT PIANO Filed Jan. 31, 1938 SSheets-Sheet l Dec. 27, 1938..

c. F. STEIN ET AL.

UPRIGHT PIANO Filed Jan. 31, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet five/wows:

Dec. 27, 1938. c. F. STEIN ET AL 2,141,728

UPRIGHT P I AND Filed Jan. 31, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fade/3065222172 V 677 m G. Sam/2507a" "5 99:

fizuamfons:

Patented Dec. 27, 1938 PATENT OFFIQE UPR-IGHT PIANO Charles Frederick Stein, La Grange, and Arthur C. Swanson, Chicago, 111.

Application January 31, 1938, Serial No. 187,868

11 Claims.

This invention relates to upright pianos, and more particularly concerns improvements in the construction and arrangement of theparts of such instruments usually positioned above the level of the manual key-boards thereof.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an upright piano of reduced height which may be tuned and regulated in the customary manner, in which the standard height I!) of the manual key-board is retained and the piano action continues to occupy its usual position above the rearward end-parts of the manual keys, and in which the adjustable elements of the action are conveniently accessible for ini spection and regulation without disconnection or disassociation of the action from the keys. Another important object of the invention is to provide a novel form of upright piano action, the height of which is considerably reduced and '2 in which material changes are made in the design, arrangement, and operation of the action parts without sacrificing desirable characteristics of touch and repetition, which is of simple construction, is assembled and supported as a unit in {:5 position for easy and convenient removal and replacement, and is so designed and positioned as to permit access to the strings and tuning pins of the instrument.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a broken fore-and-aft, vertical sectional view of the upper part of an upright piano constructed according to this invention, showing one of the manual keys and its associated piano action parts in position ready for opera- :af, tion;

Figures 2 and 3 are views similar to Figure 1, but with parts further broken away, in which the manual key and associated piano action parts are shown in partially actuated and in .1 o fully actuated positions, respectively; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure l, trating a modified construction.

In order that the aforesaid objects of the present invention may be better understood and appreciated, it may be well to preface the description to follow by explaining why the various attempts to meet the growing demands for reduction in the height of upright pianos have been unsatisfactory. Any substantial reduction in the height oh an upright piano necessitates reduction in the height of the back-frame and stringplate of the instrument, thereby lowering the upper stringbriolge, which is formed upon the plate, and the hammer striking line of the 5:5 strings, which striking line must, of course, be

illusbelow the upper string-bridge. Since, for obvious reasons, the standard height of the manual key-board must be retained, the aforesaid lowering of the hammer striking line of the strings requires changes in the arrangement or construction of the piano action. Heretofore, the changes made in the piano action for this purpose have involved changing its location with respect to the keys and its operative association and connection therewith, and such changes have resulted in placing the action in an inaccessible position for inspection and adjustment, requiring its removal for regulation and for other purposes, and at the same time rendering its removal inconvenient and difficult, and, in some of such arrangements, impossible Without disconnection and even removal of other elements, such as the associated manual keys. As is well known to those familiar with the art, the keys should remain in their proper operative relationship to the piano action during its adjustment and regulation, since they are designed as the operating means therefor and their leverage, balance, and movement in association therewith are most important considerations in the regulation of touch and repetition. As will be seen from the following description, this invention accomplishes the objects already set forth and the present construction completely avoids the unsatisfactory features just recited.

Referring, now, to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, l indicates one of the two side-arms and 2 the hinged top of the casing, the rearward edge-part of the top and the hinging thereof to the back-frame being broken away, 3 the tuning-pin-block secured upon the forward face of the top member of the back frame (not shown), 4 the metal stringplate, 5 the sounding-board, 5 the upper stringbridge formed upon string-plate 4, I one of the series of strings, and 8 the series of tuning pins for said strings. Of course, there is at least one string l for each note and a tuning pin 8 for each string, all of which may be arranged in the customary manner. The parts just mentioned are illustrated more or less diagrammatically and are shown only for the purpose of indicating their lowered positions with respect to the manual key-board and the piano action, which will now be described.

The key-bed 9 is horizontally arranged and firmly supported in the customary or any desired manner as part of the casing at the usual or standard level or distance from the floor. Keyframe it! comprises the usual stiles ll, front- Cal rail l2, balance-rail I3, and rear bumper-rail M, and is removably secured in position upon the top of key-bed 9. One of the series of manual keys is illustrated at and a corresponding one of the series of piano action units is shown associated therewith. It is to be understood, however, that there is a manual key I5 for each note of the scale and a piano action unit for each key. Since the construction of all of the keys and piano action units are alike, but one of each is illustrated and a description thereof will suflice for all. The customary keyslip i5 is secured upon the top of key-bed 9, to fit between the side-arms (as l) in front of front-rail I 2 and the lower front edges of keys 15. Key I5 is transfixed by balance-rail-pin l1, rocks upon center-rail-punching I8, is guided by front-rail-pin I 9, and the downward movement of the forward end thereof is limited by front-rail-punching 20. The rearward end-parts of all of the keys l5 rest upon the felt bumperstrip 2| on rear bumper-rail l4, and the movement or dip of each key is regulated in the usual manner by varying the thickness of the punchings l8 and thereunder. Key-touch is determined by a number of factors, such as by the weight and resistance in movement of the respective piano action units, the leverage of the keys, and the positioning along the keys of the usual key-weights 22. All of these features of construction and the methods of regulation and adjustment are well known and need nvi further description here.

In the construction illustrated in Figure 1, the piano action frame comprises the usual actionbrackets, one of which is shown at 23, to which are fixed the hammer-supporting rail 24, wippensupporting rail 25, and stop-rail 2B. Movable hammer-rail 2! is supported by arms, such as 28, fixed therein and having their upper ends pivotally attached to the action-brackets 23 as at 29. Damper-supporting rail 39 is preferably secured to and spaced from the string-plate 4, as by threaded bolts 3| and nuts 32, respectively, and is not, therefore, removable with the piano action. The action is supported and secured in position in the instrument as a removable unit in the usual manner, the several action-brackets 23 resting upon the upper rounded heads of respective posts 33 screwed into key-bed 9, and having their upper ends releasably bolted to string-plate 4 by shouldered bracket-bolts 34 and cap-nuts 35. The under surface of each action-bracket is provided with a positioning socket (not shown) which accommodates the rounded head of the respective post 33 upon which it rests, and the end brackets are formed with forwardly and rearwardly extending legs 36 and 31, respectively, for standing the action in upright position when removed from the instrument. To remove the action from the instrument, the cap-nuts are unscrewed from the threaded forward ends of bracket-bolts 34 and the action is then tilted forwardly upon the posts 33 and lifted freely therefrom in the usual manner.

When the hammers are arranged in upstanding positions, as in the usual upright piano action, the heavier hammers of the lower part of the scale move with a toppling action over their pivotal supports, causing a sluggish or reluctant recovery which prevents proper repetition. It is customary to employ stiffer hammer-springs f or the heavier hammers to help their recovery from the strings, but this can be only a partial help, since the combination of stiffer springs and heavier hammers means heavier touch. According to the present invention, the piano-hammers are supported heads downward above their respective wippens. Hammer-supporting rail 24 is arranged to extend horizontally across the upper parts of the several action-brackets 23 and is screwed to flanges 38 thereupon, as by screws 39.

.Each of the series of piano-hammers comprises a head 49, shank 4!, and butt 42, and is pivotally attached to rail 24 by a butt-flange 43 which is pinned at 44 to the hammer-butt and s cured in position upon the rail in the usual oranypreferred manner. It is to be noted at this point that the inverted arrangement of the hammers eliminates the toppling action of the hammer-heads over their pivotal supports, thereby rendering the touch and responsiveness of the action much more uniform throughout the scale.

Wippen-supporting rail 25 is arranged to ex tend horizontally across the lower parts of the several action-brackets 23 and is secured to flanges 45 thereupon, as by screws 46. Each of the series of wippens 41 is pivotally attached to rail 25 by a wippen-fiange 48 which is pinned at 49 to the wlppen and secured in position upon the rail in the usual or any preferred manner. Each wippen 4'! extends forwardly and upwardly over rail 25 and is preferably formed with a downwardly projecting foot 53, the lo: 1 end of which is shod with a felt or buckski patch. El and rests upon the usual adjustable capstanscrew 52 which is screwed into and extends upwardly from the rearward end-part cf the respective manual key 15. It is to be noted here that foot 52 rests upon capstan-screw 52 substantially in line with the pivotal points 49 and i8 of the wippen 41 and the key 15, respectively. as indicated by the dotted line at (Fig. 1), so t at there will be a minimum amount of slippage a friction between foot 50 and capstan-screw 52 during their operation in their divergent paths of arcuate movement.

The hammer-operating jack 53 is pivotally pinned at 55 to the wippen, extends upwardly therefrom to engage the respective hammer-butt 42 in a manner to be later described, and is formed with the usual arm 55. Jack-spring 5-; is arranged in the customary manner between arm 55 and wippen 4'1 and acts to urge the upper end of the jack rearwardly. tion of the jack is determined by engagement of adjustable felt-headed stop 5? with spoon 58. Spoon 58 is fixed in the wippen and the threaded stem of stop 5'! is screwed through the jack and provided with a squared or flattened forward end to permit its convenient adjustment. A series of adjustable stops 59, generally similar to stops 5?. are arranged along stop-rail 26, one directly above the arm 55 of each jack The threaded stems of these stops 5!! are screwed through the stop-rail and their upper ends are eyed to permit their convenient adjustment.

Back-checks 60 are carried at the upper ends of back-check-wires 6|, which are fixed in the forward end-parts of wippens 47 in the usual manner, each back-check being positioned to be moved upwardly and rearwardly (about pivotpin 49) by the upward movement of the forward end of its respective wippen into engagement with the forward end of the corresponding hammer-butt 42. The forward ends of the hammerbutts are faced with felt or buckskin and serve as back-catches for the hammers, but, because of the inverted arrangement of the hammers and the pivoting of the hammer-butts between the The rearward posihammer-supporlng and back-catch ends thereof, the back-catch ends move upwardly as the respective hammers move away from the strings, such action being just the reverse from that of the usual upright piano action. Consequently, since the engagement of the back-checks 60 with said back-catch ends is effected by the upward and rearward movement of the back-checks, blocking of the hammers against thestrings is practically impossible. This will be evident upon reference to Figure 3 of the drawings, where the back-checks are shown in engagement with the back-catch ends, and where it will be seen that the back-check 60 has caught the hammer upon its return from the string; that further upward movement of the back-check would urge the hammer further back from the string; and that downward movement of the back-check would release it from engagement with the back-catch end of the hammer-butt 42 and permit the hammer to complete its return movement from the string.

The upper end-parts of jacks 53 are provided with rearwardly projecting arcuate shoulders 62, which co-operate with the present inverted ham mer arrangement and hammer-butt construction to provide novel and important improvements in eifecting positive operation and clean-cut repetition. While shouldered jacks have been heretofore proposed for the purpose of improving repe tition in the usual form of upright piano action, their action in cooperation with the hammerbutts of upstanding hammers is entirely different from their action in the present arrangement. Here, there is no toppling action of the hammers over their pivotal supports and no need for bridle-tapes or their equivalents to insure proper recovery of the hammers. In the present construction, because of their inverted arrangement. the hammers cannot get away from the jacks or fail to follow them, and the arcuate paths of movement of both hammers and jacks with respect to each other are decidedly different from the usual upright piano action.

In Figure 1, where the parts are shown in positions ready for actuation, it will be observed that the upper end of jack 53 is fully under the knuckle 63 of hammer-butt 42, the position thereof being determined by the adjustable stop which is held against spoon 58 by the action of jack-spring 56. Now, as the parts are moved into the positions shown in Figure 2, the jack does not change its position with respect to wippen 41, but continues to rest with its stop 51 against spoon 58 and the upper end thereof continues fully under the respective knuckle 63, until the arm 55 of the jack encounters stop 59. There is no tendency for the end of the jack to slip or work oif from the knuckle, as in many upright action con-- structions, with the result that the force applied in the manual operation of the keys is more directly and positively transmitted to the hammers, and the sensitivity and responsiveness of keytouch is thereby greatly improved. Continued movement of the parts into their fully operated positions shown in Figure 3 effects the release of the upper end of the jack from the knuckle just before the hammer strikes the string, such let-off of the jack being regulated in the usual manner by adjustment of the stop 59 to engage arm 55 as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. In falling back or rebounding from the string, the return of the hammer is arrested by the engagement of the back-check 60 with the back-catch end of the hammer-butt 42, as previously mentioned, and

the shoulder 62 is directly under the knuckle 63 (Fig. 3), so that, as long as the manual key I5 is held in its operated position, the hammer cannot return to its position of rest against the movable hammer-rail 21, but is held under the control of the jack 53, the effective length of which under the knuckle is now shortened. Now, if the key is actuated to eifect repetition of the note, such actuation will be transmitted without any lost motion directly to the hammer. That is to say, any downward movement of the forward end of key 55 will always be transmitted without lost motion to the hammer, regardless of the extent of such movement, the result being that note-repetition may be effected in a reliable and positive manner at any intermediate position of the key. Complete movement of the key will effect full swing of the hammer, and partial movement of the key will effect a correspondingly partial swing of the hammer, since either the end of the jack 53 or the shoulder 62 is always in contact with the knuckle 63, the weight of the hammer in the present arrangement always insuring such contact. This is not so in the usual upright piano action with upstanding hammers, where the toppling action of the hammers over their pivotal supports delays their recovery and permits the jack to be vibrated without properly contacting the knuckle and without effecting corresponding repeated action of the hammer. The arcuate shape of the shoulder 62 prevents any creeping action of the jack with respect to the knuckle and consequently avoids any possibility of blocking of the hammer against the string.

The strong dampers, one of which is shown at 654, are each carried at the upper end of a damper-wire 65 which is fixed in a damper-butt 66 pivotally pinned at 6'! to a damper-flange 68 which is secured, as by a screw 69, to the rail 31!. While the damper-supporting rail 3|] is shown and has been described as secured in position upon the string-plate 4, it may be otherwise supported, if desired, and I have indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3 how it may be secured by brackets T0 and screws H to the key-bed 9. Damperbutts 56 extend forwardly and are individually engaged by spoons l2 fixed in the rearward endparts of the respective wippens 41. The dampers 64 are held pressed against the strings by the action of damper-springs 13 which bear upwardly against the under surfaces of the butts 66. Collective operation of the dampers is effected by the usual damper-bar '14, supported by arms 15 pivotally secured to the rail 30. The operating means for actuating the damper-bar to press it downwardly upon the forward end-parts of the butts 66 has not been shown. Likewise, the operating means for swinging the movable hammer-rail 27 to vary the stroke of the hammers has not been shown. The means for effecting the operation of damper-bar l4 and movable hammer-rail 21 may be arranged for pedal or manual actuation, but, since they do not constitute a part of the present invention, they have been omitted.

While the preferred construction is illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, and has been described in connection therewith, the modification shown in Figure 4 embodies the same invention and operates in substantially the same manner. Figure 4 is more or less diagrammatic, since the means for supporting and securing the several rails 24, 25, 25, and 21 in position have been omitted. As compared with the previously described construction, wippen 4'! is there shown arranged at a greater angle from the horizontal; pivot-pin 54 for jack 53 is forward of foot on the wippen, whereby the endwise movement of jack is with respect to the movement of capstan-screw 52 is increased; jack 53 rests against spoon 58 without an adjustable stop; hammerbutt 42 is differently shaped, and a back-catch 16 is provided to extend forwardly therefrom; shoulder (32 is positioned a little below the upper end of jack 53; damper-butts 66 are of the straight lever form resembling that of the usual upright piano action; and damper-spoon 12 is in this arrangement fixed in the damper-butt and is acted upon by the rearwardly projecting arm of wippen 41.

In the construction according to Figure 4, the upper string-bridge 6 and the hammer striking line of the strings have not been lowered to the extent shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive; the upward swing of the hammers in their movement toward the strings is more pronounced, as is also the rearward swing of the upper ends of the jacks in their hammer-operating movement about the pivotal points 49 of the wippens 41, and the upper arcuate faces of the shoulders 62 are a little lower than the ends of the jacks 53 to effect a slight let-off action of the jacks from the knuckles 63 and thereby permit the hammers to fall back a little further from the strings when this let-off of the jacks takes place. Of course, this same arrangement of the shoulders may be employed in the construction of Figures 1 to 3, and may be preferred, or even preferable, in some instances, such as, for example, where it is desired to feel the let-off of the jacks in the regulation of touch, or where the minimum hammerstroke is not desired in providing for repetition effects.

We claim:

1. An upright piano having a series of strings arranged to extend in a substantially vertical plane; a series of tuning pins to each of which the upper end of one of said strings is attached; a key-board horizontally arranged forward of said strings comprising a series of manually operable keys; and a piano action comprising a series of ham'ners pivotally supported to swing pendently toward and from said strings above the level of said key-board, and hammer-operating actionelements extending over the rearward end-parts of said keys and operably associated therewith to transmit the movement of each of said keys upwardly to its respective hammer.

2. An upright piano having a series of strings arranged to extend in a substantially vertical plane; a series of tuning pins to each of which the upper end of one of said strings is attached; a key-board horizontally arranged forward of said strings comprising a series of manually operable keys; and a piano action comprising a rail horizontally arranged above the level of said keyboard, a series of hammers pivotally supported by said rail and depending therefrom to swing below the level of said rail, and hammer-operating action-elements operably associated with each of said keys acting upon operation of said keys to swing the respective hammers toward said strings.

3. An upright piano having a series of strings arranged to extend in a substantially vertical plane; a key-board horizontally arranged forward of said strings comprising a series of manually operable keys; and a piano action comprising a lower rail and an upper rail, a series of wippens pivotally supported by said lower rail, each of said wippens being operably associated with one of said keys, and a series of hammers pivotally supported by said upper rail and depending therefrom, each of said hammers being operably associated with one of said wippens and acting upon operation thereby to swing rearwardly toward said strings,

4. An upright piano having a series of strings arranged to extend in a substantially vertical plane; a key-board horizontally arranged forward of said strings comprising a series of manually operable keys; and a piano action comprising a lower rail and an upper rail, a series of wippens pivotally attached to said lower rail, each of said wippens extending forwardly over the rearward end-part of one of said keys and being operably associated therewith, and a series of hammers pivotally attached to and depending from said upper rail, each of said hammers being operably associated with one of said wippens and acting upon operation thereby to swing rearwardly toward said strings, below its pivotal attachment to said upper rail and above the pivotal attachment of its respective wippen to said lower rail.

5. An upright piano having a string-plate and a series of strings arranged to extend in substantially vertical parallel planes; a horizontally extending stringbridge upon said string-plate across which said strings are tensioned; and a piano action positioned forward of said strings, having a horizontally extending rail arranged forward of and above said string-bridge, a series of hammers pivotally attached to and depending from said rail, and hammer-actuating means acting upon operation to swing said hammers rearwardly to strike said strings below said stringbridge.

6. An upright piano having a string-plate and a series of strings arranged to extend in substantially vertical parallel planes; a horizontally extending string-bridge upon said string-plate across which said strings are tensioned; a horizontally extending damper-supporting rail arranged forward of said strings below said stringbridge; a series of damper-butts pivotally attached to said rail; dampers carried one by each of said damper-butts and held thereby releasably pressed against said strings; and a piano action positioned forward of said strings, having a horizontally extending hammer-supporting rail arranged forward of and above said stringbridge, a series of hammers pivotally attached to and depending from said hammer-supporting rail,

and hammer-actuating means acting upon operation to swing said hammers rearwardly to strike said strings below said string-bridge and above said dampers.

'7. An upright piano having a series of strings arranged to extend in a substantially vertical plane; a key-board horizontally arranged forward or" said strings comprising a series of manually operable keys; a horizontally extending dampersupporting rail arranged forward of said strings; a series of damper-butts pivotally attached to said rail; dampers carried one by each of said damperbutts and held thereby releasably pressed against said strings; and a piano action comprising a lower rail and an upper rail, a series of wippens,

one for each of said keys, pivotally attached between their ends to said lower rail with their forward arms extending over and in operable association with the rearward end-parts of respective keys and with their rearward arms extending over and in operative engagement with respective damper-butts, a series of hammers pivotally attached to and depending from said upper rail, and hammer-actuating means carried by each of said wippens and operatively engaging respective hammers; the operation of each of said keys eifecting the rocking of its respective wippen to elevate the forward arm thereof and swing the corresponding hammer rearwardly toward said strings and to depress the rearward arm thereof to actuate the respective damperbutt and release the damper carried thereby from said strings.

8. An upright piano having a series of strings arranged to extend in a substantially vertical plane; a key-board horizontally arranged forward of said strings comprising a series of manually operable keys; and a piano action comprising a horizontally arranged lower rail and a horizontally arranged upper rail, a series of wippens pivotally supported upon said lower rail, each of said wippens being operably associated with one of said keys, a series of hammer-butts pivotally supported upon said upper rail, hammers secured to and depending from said hammer-butts, knuckles upon said hammer-butts, and a series of hammeractuating jacks pivotally attached to said wippens and extending upwardly therefrom in front of said hammers into engagement with said knuckles; the operation of each of said keys effecting the operation of its respective wippen and the upward and rearward movement of the upper end of the jack attached to said wippen, the rocking of the corresponding hammer-butt through the engagement of said jack with the knuckle thereupon, and the rearward swinging movement toward said strings of the hammer secured to depend from said hammer-butt.

9. An upright piano having a series of strings arranged to extend in a substantially vertical plane; a key-board horizontally arranged forward of said strings comprising a series of manually operable keys; and a' piano action comprising a horizontally arranged lower rail and a horizontally arranged upper rail, a series of wippens pivotally supported upon said lower rail, each of said wippens being operably associated with one of said keys, a series of hammer-butts pivotally supported upon said upper rail, hammers secured to and depending from said hammer-butts, knuckles upon said hammer-butts, and a series of hammer-actuating jacks pivotally attached to said wippens and extending upwardly therefrom in front of said hammers into engagement with said knuckles, each of said jacks having a knuckle-engaging shoulder projecting rearwardly from the upper end-part thereof.

10. An upright piano having a series of strings arranged to extend in a substantially vertical plane; a key-board horizontally arranged forward of said strings comprising a series of manually operable keys; and a piano action compris- 5 ing a horizontally arranged lower rail and a horizontally arranged upper rail, a series of Wippens pivotally supported upon said lower rail, each of said wippens being operably associated with one of said keys, a series of hammer-butts 3, pivotally supported upon said upper rail, hammers secured to and depending from said hammer-butts, knuckles upon said hammer-butts, and a series of hammer-actuating jacks pivotally attached to said wippens and extending upwardly 1 therefrom into constant engagement with said knuckles; the operation of each of said keys from any position in its range of movement effecting the operation of its respective wippen and of the jack attached thereto, the rocking 0f the correspending hammer-butt through engagement of the jack with the knuckle thereupon, and the swinging movement of the hammer secured to depend from said hammer-butt.

11. An upright piano having a series of strings arranged to extend in a substantially vertical plane; a key-board horizontally arranged forward of said strings comprising a series of manually operable keys; and a piano action comprising a horizontally arranged lower rail and a hori- 5 a;

each of said hammer-butts, a series of hammeractuating jacks pivotally attached to said wippens and extending upwardly therefrom in front of said hammers into engagement with said knuckles, and a back-check secured to each of said wippens and extending upwardly therefrom in front of the jack attached thereto in position to engage with the respective back-catch upon the operation of said wippen and the upward movement of the forwardly extending arm of the corresponding hammer-butt as the respective hammer swings forwardly from said strings.

CHARLES FREDERICK STEIN. ARTHUR C. SWANSON. 

